Post by 1karen1 on Jun 18, 2012 20:39:28 GMT -5

For anyone that was into the rave seen in the late 90's and early 2000's in or around Buffalo/Toronto/Rochester do you guys remember happy hardcore and Hullabaloo?

I'm only asking because of a recent Facebook conversation that I was having with an old friend. But that part of EDM/rave was a big part of my life because my two older children's father was an MC/promoter in Toronto and the rave thing is how we met.

Anyways...just seeing if any of you remember that because it was kind of big and fun for a while.

Post by Del Griffith on Jun 19, 2012 8:35:46 GMT -5

For anyone that was into the rave seen in the late 90's and early 2000's in or around Buffalo/Toronto/Rochester do you guys remember happy hardcore and Hullabaloo?

I'm only asking because of a recent Facebook conversation that I was having with an old friend. But that part of EDM/rave was a big part of my life because my two older children's father was an MC/promoter in Toronto and the rave thing is how we met.

Anyways...just seeing if any of you remember that because it was kind of big and fun for a while.

Post by hermano on Jun 20, 2012 8:01:03 GMT -5

The Bloody Beetroots (according to their fbook page) are dropping a new single June 26th and then video the 28th. They're playing Electric Zoo in September and they've played other US fests in the past. Hopefully dropping more tracks and getting more exposure gets them on the bonnaroo lineup next year.

Post by pootman on Jun 21, 2012 0:01:02 GMT -5

Since the light show and the visual production of the show has expanded so much, people just assume that it's that obvious -- because we have a bunch of crazy lights -- but it came way before that. I wanted to have sort of a visual name, so when you came to the shows there was sort of a motif and it all came together. Pretty Lights is an old Pink Floyd reference, from a 1966 New Years Eve show with Pink Floyd and The Who. On the flier it said, "Come and see the pretty lights," sort of as an advertisement for this show that's going to be really cool. So, that's where I first saw the term, but what it meant to me is, throughout your day or your life there are moments that inspire you as an artist -- and creative people sort of have this eye for the world where they're always looking for things that are beautiful or cool or inspirational. It's the little things throughout your day that can sort of turn into a big inspiration creatively.

The name came from a Pink Floyd reference.Pink Floyd's own marketing has gone to say "Come see the Pretty Lights" but I don't think that's all there is to their music any more than I would say that of Derek's productions.He's a bit of a bro himself, and does indeed have alot of bro followers, but that doesn't mean there's no depth to his music.I generally try not to judge bands too harshly by what their fans are like.Besides, like, you know... ICP.

just to elaborate on this a little... this is the interview i read of him that really made me appreciate where he's coming from. he's talking about the "come see the pretty lights" phrase on the poster;

"The expression held this meaning to me that captured the essence of the eye of the artist. People go through life always on the lookout for things that are beautiful and inspirational. We experience the world through light, and as an artist I’m always on the lookout for different forms of beauty; ways to capture and recreate it. An example that I give is a film I was working on some time ago. I was driving down the street and it was raining. The lights were reflecting through the rainy windshield and there was this moment of freshness and beauty. So I just stopped and filmed it for an hour straight [laughs]. Pretty Lights is about trying to capture little moments. So that’s the concept behind it." -DVS/ PL's

boom. also... flux would be sooo fun.

also also: am i the only one who thinks skrillex is a little too schitzo or something? he needs to chill sometimes. out of all the big name edm stuff he's probably my least favorite probably for the same reason i don't do speed or coke. too on edge for me. his show was an interesting time though. lol.

Post by mc on Jun 21, 2012 6:01:17 GMT -5

Zomby is an unfortunate example to use for the other side of EDM because he's just notorious for being a prick and putting on a mediocre live show (although he's still a pretty good producer). Imo Four Tet is a great example of someone who puts on an awesome show and doesn't play mindless shallow music. It's more performance though, improvising and good mixing, and not so much giant lazers and spaceships and a really over the top light show that entertains/impresses me.

Post by abrakapokus on Jun 21, 2012 17:11:05 GMT -5

Zomby is an unfortunate example to use for the other side of EDM because he's just notorious for being a prick and putting on a mediocre live show (although he's still a pretty good producer). Imo Four Tet is a great example of someone who puts on an awesome show and doesn't play mindless shallow music. It's more performance though, improvising and good mixing, and not so much giant lazers and spaceships and a really over the top light show that entertains/impresses me.

I was just using an example from the polar opposite direction but I know what you mean. I'm a fan of Four Tet and I think his vibe/show that he puts on matches his music. I think the same of Skrillex, I can't imagine him spazzing out listening/playing more mellow music. Regardless of what you think of Skrillex's music, I think his energy matches his music.

Post by on Jun 23, 2012 5:55:43 GMT -5

its no secret. when it comes to “live” performance of EDM… that’s about the most it seems you can do anyway. It’s not about performance art, its not about talent either (really its not) In fact, let me do you and the rest of the EDM world button pushers who fuckin hate me for telling you how it is, a favor and let you all know how it is.

I think given about 1 hour of instruction, anyone with minimal knowledge of ableton and music tech in general could DO what im doing at a deadmau5 concert. Just like i think ANY DJ in the WORLD who can match a beat can do what “ANYONE else” (not going to mention any names) is doing on their EDM stages too. have a look, then let me explain:

okay, so heres me, in a big silly mousehead.. twiddlin a knob or somethin… okay so heres how it works…. Somewhere in that mess is a computer, running ableton live… and its spewing out premixed (to a degree) stems of my original producitons, and then a SMPTE feed to front of house (so tell the light / video systems) where im at in the performance… so that all the visuals line up nicely and all the light cues are on and stuff. Now, while thats all goin on… theres a good chunk of Midi data spitting out as well to a handful of synths and crap that are / were used in the actual produciton… which i can tweak *live* and whatnot… but doesnt give me alot of “lookit me im jimi hendrix check out this solo” stuff, because im constrained to work on a set timeline because of the SMPTE. Its a super redundant system, and more importantly its reliable as FUCK! And obviously, ive done the show a couple hundred times easily by now, so the focus over the past few runs with the “cube show” has been more revolved around adding new audio / visual content to keep it current.

so thats my “live” show. and thats as “live” as i can comfortably get it (for now anyway) of course itll evolve, and change up, but im sure a few key principles will always remain the same.

Im just so sick of hearing the “NO!!! IM NOT JUST DOING THIS, I HAVE 6 TABLES UP THERE AND I DO THIS THIS AND THIS” like… honestly. who gives a fuck? i dont have any shame in admitting that for “unhooked” sets.. i just roll up with a laptop and a midi controller and “select” tracks n hit a spacebar. ableton syncs the shit up for me… so no beatmatching skill required. “beatmatching” isnt even a fucking skill as far as im concered anyway. so what, you can count to 4. cool. i had that skill down when i was 3, so dont give me that argument please.

my “skills” and other PRODUCERS skills shine where it needs to shine… in the goddamned studio, and on the fucking releases. thats what counts… because this whole big “edm” is taking over fad, im not going to let it go thinking that people assume theres a guy on a laptop up there producing new original tracks on the fly. becausje none of the “top dj’s in the world” to my knowledge have. myself included.

you know what makes the EDM show the crazy amazing show that it is? you guys do, the fans, the people who came to appreciate the music, the lights, all the other people who came, we just facilitate the means and the pretty lights and the draw of more awesome people like you by our studio productions. which is exactly what it is. But to stand up and say youre doing something special outside of a studio environment, when youre not, just plain fuckin annoys me.

Post by mc on Jun 26, 2012 5:39:18 GMT -5

Actually as pointed out before i think the whole "fun" tag on the end of this is kind of a backhanded insult to the other thread, because that thread talks about lots of stuff that could be considered "fun" but I'm not gonna nitpick.